First and Only Love
by redheadclover
Summary: Andie, a young lady of higher society, meets Emmett McCarthy, a railroad worker. They both fall in love, but her family disapproves. Can their love go through the highs and lows of life...and even death? No Rosalie sorry! Emmett/OC
1. First Glance

I'm in love with a boy whom my father and mother do not approve of, so it's safe to say I was walking on thin ice already when I met him. The year was 1934 and I lived in Tennessee. I had a older brother named Adam, along with my mother Sarah and father Charles. We were one of the wealthier families in our town, since my father ran a factory that produced car parts. I was brought up in a bit of a strict home, always being taught on how to act like a lady and be the perfect bride. I was never one to be the perfect bride for any man, and I would want to play in the mud instead of play on the piano for hours at a time.

My father was already looking for a suitable husband for me when I turned 16, so my mother was trying to teach me the ways of being a proper woman and bride. I had to earn how to cook, sew, clean and ultimately keep my mouth shut about certain things. That was one of the rules of being a proper wife, according to my mother: know your place in the household and never talk about to the husband. Although I had to learn this rule and live by it, I was the complete opposite of that single rule. I would talk back on a regular basis when I was young, but as I got older I knew I had to at least make my parents happy.

It wasn't until I turned 18 when I first met him. I was out with my mother on a shopping trip into the small town we lived it, and during the Great Depression we had to get our rations and hold out for a solid month or two, so we decided to shop that day. I had to start wearing heels out in public, so I wore a pair of black heels with a black skirt to my knees, a red jacket over a white dress and a scarf over my red hair to hide it from the world. My mother was wearing a more beautiful ensemble, but I was mostly stuck with her old clothes up until I was married.

"HOw can I help you ma'am?" the clerk asked my mother in his work tone as we approach him in the store. I stood by my mother as she took out a list form her jacket pocket and I looked around at all of the things he was selling in his store. Since the Depression there was less to see in the store, but non the less there was still things to buy in there.

"If you would be so kind to get these things for me, and do hurry. I need to get home before Charles does." My mother explained to the clerk as I heard the store door opening one more time. I looked over my shoulder and saw a group of boys walking through, hooting and hollering about something. Their voices filled the room in a loud bang and I saw my mother eyeing them from over her own shoulder.

"I'll get that for you ma'am." the clerk replied back to her and then he looked over at the boys, glaring at him.

"Will you boys keep it down? Don't make me get the sheriff out here like last time, Mr. Darwin, Mr. Jones and Mr. McCarthy." The clerk warned the boys, who instantly were quiet and just browsed around the store. I looked to my mother, who only scoffed and faced forward.

"Such rude behavior. Pay no attention to them, Andrea." My mother instructed me and I nodded my head, facing forward as well. But the wonder and curiosity of who those boys were filled my head. How is it that I have never met them before? Why did they intrigue me so? They were wild, free and filled with happiness. It was al I wanted to be, what I longed to be.

"Miss, could you please come back here and verify the type of wheat you wanted." the clerk called from the back room. My mother sighed loudly and walked around the countertop and to the back room, leaving me alone in the front room and with the boys. THey were scattered about the store and I stayed still in my spot, knowing well my mother would scold me for moving an inch without her consent. But I wanted to see who those boys were.

"I reckon that lady up there hates us, don't you think?" one of the boys asked in a laughing tone, making me smile slightly. It was odd to hear someone else talk harshly about my mother, but it was also funny.

"She seems like one of those wealthy ladies, you know, the ones with the wealthy husband who pay for everything. She must be that DuBoise lady who's married to Charles DuBoise. He owns that factory out by the woods." another voice said aloud. So they knew who my mother was and who my father was as well. I looked over my shoulder slightly to see two boys playing around with some of the tools next to them on the shelf and then two other boys talking next to me down a ways by the counter top. One of them had sandy blond hair that was in natural waves, short but natural. He had brown wide eyes and a crooked smile, along with a thin face and smug on his face.

The other boy was bigger, much bigger than him. He stood at a good 6 feet tall, if not taller. He had broad shoulder and arms, making him look like a giant in the light. His hair was short and curly dark brown hair. His eyes were a dark blue, reminding me of the sky after a rainfall, and his smile was wide and filled with happiness. He was very handsome, and showed signs of niceness and warmth.

"Where did he go, we need to get our food and get back to work or else Tobias will skin us alive." the blond haired boy said aloud in a grunt and sigh. I saw the taller boy look over at me, his dark eyes on my brown eyes and I instantly looked away from him and down at my hands.

"Hang on a sec, I think I see it." I heard someone say from my right as I kept my eyes down. But I saw something move from right next to me and I looked up, seeing the taller blue eyed man stand right next to me. I was freightned at first, seeing him so close to me and how he was looking down at me with curiosity in his eyes, and also innocence. I could tell he had to be a railroad worker, seeing how he was hearing brown pants, boots, and a white shirt with suspenders and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He was tan slightly, probably form working in the sun all day.

"Pardon me, ma'am." he said in a deep but soothing voice that made me loose my breath in one take. He reached across me, his arm in front of me and took a piece of candy from the jar in front of me. I was still silent as I watched him do that simple action. He pulled away in a instantly as my mother walked back from the back room, the clerk walking out as well. My mother took my arm and pulled me away from him in a flash as we walked out of the store and onto the street in the bright sunlight. I looked back one more time, but he was still inside the store and I couldn't see him.

"Such rude service in there, we'll shop somewhere else next time for food." My mother said under her breath as I heard the boys walking out of the store, still laughing about something and walking the opposite way from us to the woods. The tall boy looked back at me one more time, and his eyes connected with mine one more time. I felt my heart flickering a bit in my chest as we looked at each other briefly before he turned away and walked with his friends. I saw my mother looking over at him and the boys, then looking back in front of her.

"Those railroad boys are nothing but trouble. Especially that Emmett McCarthy boy. He's so big he scares those poor children at the school, how rude of him." My mother said in her scoff as we walked down the road back to our home. I smiled, thinking of that name and how it fitted him perfectly. I then knew who he was, or I at least heard about him from other young adults our age. He had a couple of older brother and lived with his father in a small cabin in the woods outside of town near the railroad. They were a nice family but my family just didn't like them at all. BUt non of that mattered since I was chanting his name in my head....

Emmett McCarthy, Emmett McCarthy


	2. Nice to Meet You

"Adam, so nice to see you son! Come inside." My dad said in a proud tone as my brother stood in the front doorway. My brother would come home every once in awhile from his home in Nashville to visit and bring some news for my father, business news that is. My brother was a prodigy for my father to say the very least, the golden child of our family. I knew it was true, and yet it did not bother me one bit, because I knew the true nature of my brother when my parents were never around. He wanted to be free as much as I did, longing to be a normal person.

"How was the train here? Not too bad I hope. I was going to pick you up from the train station but you how work is at this time of year." My dad tried to explain to my brother as he walked into the front door and into the hallway. My brother took off his hat and then took off his jacket as well. He had auburn wavy hair, just like my mother and my father's dark brown eyes. He was taller than me, but not as tall with a lean body and tan on his skin from being in Nashville.

"It's quite alright father, my train was running late as it was, and I also needed to get some work done." Adam replied to my mother as he then looked over at me and smiled widely. I knew that look in his eyes: the look of pure joy and excitement.

"I'll have Ron take these up to your room. I'll be right back, I need tog et some papers for you to look over." My father said to him as he left the room, leaving me and Adam to be alone. As soon as he closed the door Adam rushed over to me and picked me up in his arms, hugging me close and swinging me around in the hallway.

"Andie! I missed you! How do you live in this house and not go crazy?" Adam asked me aloud as he placed me back on the ground. I couldn't help but laugh and shrug in front of him.

"I'm honestly at the breaking point of going insane here." I said to him in a honest tone. He only laughed and reached into his pocket to pull out a piece of paper.

"Well hopefully this can get you out of here, well for often." Adam explained to me, waving the paper in front of me and having me raise a eyebrow at her. What was he holding in his hand? Did he get me into some kind of school? But before I could even ask what he was holding in his hand, my father came back into the hallway with my mother behind him. My brother placed the paper quickly in his jacket pocket before my mother smothered him in kisses and hugs. I stayed quiet as my mother pulled away, a large smile on her face.

"I do, however, have a business proposition for you, father." Adam explained to my father, who smiled and nodded his head.

"Sounds wonderful. Andie, will you tend to the dinner in the kitchen with your mother please?" My father asked me in a polite tone, but I could tell in the tone of his voice it was more of a command than a suggestion. I nodded my head in a obedient manner and was about to leave when my brother spoke up.

"No I think she should stay and hear this. This business proposition involves my lovely sister." Adam said in a lighter tone, everyone giving him a look of confusion. I was then even more curious on what he wanted with me, and what he meant by getting me out of the house more often.

* * *

"I'm opening a new branch here in town, and we are specializing in the railroad that cuts through town and into the woods. I believe that it will increase our profit by 20%. The only problem is that I need a new secretary and I know how Andie is a great writer. I think, with her working under my supervision and watchful eye, she could help with business and I she can receive some experience." My brother explained as I sat silently next to my mother and he sat across from my father. My father, looking very stern and serious about the situation, stay silent and thought about it to himself, I looked nervously from my brother to my father over and over again, hoping he would say yes. I needed to get out of that house, I needed to be able to not act like a lady on a constant note, and I wanted to be able to say and do what I wanted. This was a golden opportunity for me.

"Are you certain the profits will increase?" My father asked in his business like tone. My brother nodded his head.

"I give you my word, father. I have thought about this over and over, and I discussed this with my other employers and we all decided this move here to the town will e good for the company." My brother said in reassurance to my father, having him think once more in silence. I stayed silent, but I eyed my brother, who saw me and nodded his head at me.

"Well It seems like a wonderful opportunity for Andie to have some experience as a secretary. And since it's going to stay in the family, I don't see why not." My father said in a small shrug. I smiled so widely and I wanted to jump for joy. But I stayed silent and kept my head down, seeing my mother eye me slightly and then look forward once again. I was too excited to be able to work for my brother, being able to get out of the house and to have a little bit of freedom to use!

"I would, however, like a tour of the branch before anything does happen." my father said to my brother in her stern tone. MY brother, of course, nodded his head.

"Of course father. Perhaps we can go tomorrow and I'll give you the tour, along with Andie and I'll show her her work station." My brother suggested, having me eye my father with eager eyes. It was going to be a Saturday, and that meant I could skip the lessons my mother would have me do. My father briefly looked over at my mother, and then nodded his head at my brother.

"Tomorrow morning we'll go at 9:45 sharp and I'll see your branch, no later." My father said aloud as he stood up from his chair. My mother stood up as well and followed him out of the room, leaving me and my brother in the room alone. And as soon as they were far enough away from us. I ran over to my brother and hugged him in the car he was sitting him, almost knocking out all of the air in his lungs.

"I'll pay you back somehow, I swear I will." I said to him in a giggle, but my brother shook his head and hugged me back.

"No need, I wanted to help out my little sister and give her a sense of adventure. Besides, you'll make dad happy." He said to me in a grin. It felt like things were changing for the best and I was so happy to have some sort of freedom in my hands.

And boy did that freedom bring some new things into my life, or maybe a new person.

* * *

"And here is the railroad yard. We'll start manufacturing new nails and rails here to replace the old ones that are in the track in town and out in the woods." My brother explained to my father as we followed him go through a large clearing in the woods, with piles of materials all around and some automobiles close by. Most of the workers there were younger men my age, even a bit younger and they were sorting through the nails and rails as we walked past them. The sun was especially hot that day as my father didn't say a single word aloud, following my brother as he talked with enthusiasm about the place. I stayed silent behind my father, but I looked around at all that were was to see. I never ventured out in the woods before for anything, so the smell of the pine trees was so nice for me to breathe in.

"Father, I want you to meet one of my associates that's going to help me at this branch, this is Mr. Whickham." My brother introduced my father to a man a little bit older than my brother in a suit and who was coming out of one of the automobiles. I stayed back a bit and looked around some more, not wanting to interfere with their conversation about business and such.

I breathed in the trees, how crisp and wonderful the pine smelled to me. I also loved the feeling of the sun on my face, something I know I wouldn't be able to feel when I was back at home in my room studying and such. But something caught my eye from behind, something large and moving with a couple of other boys. I looked over my shoulder and felt my breath being swept away: It was Emmett McCarthy.

He was looking right at me with some shock in his eyes and face, and he was about 100 feet away near the rails that some of the boys were working on. They were all joking around and shoving each other around, but Emmett was perfectly still and was looking right at me with his soft dark blue eyes. It felt like I met him for the time all over again in the store some time ago. I couldn't move form my spot, feeling like gravity wanted me to stay in that same position I was in just to look at Emmett one more time. Why was he so intriguing to look at and observe? And why was he looking back at me with the same intrigue in his own eyes?

"I see you've met one of my new employees, Emmett." My brother whispered in my ear with a smile as I jumped from my spot. I giggled as he stood up straight again from crouching down to whisper in my ear.

"He works for you now?" I asked him in wonder, seeing him nod his head and then look over his shoulder at our father. He was talking to Mr. Whickham about something, showing seriousness on his face and in the tone of his voice. My brother then looked forward once more at Emmett and waved him over.

"Mr, McCarthy, would you come here please?" He called out to Emmett. Emmett immediately took off his hat and jogged over, stopping about a foot away from the both of us and looking right at my brother.

"Yes sir?" He asked in a bit of a hesitant tone, as if he thought he was in trouble. My brother shook his head and smiled.

"Don't worry Emmett, you're not in trouble I promise. I just want you to meet Andrea, my younger sister. Andrea, this is Emmett McCarthy, one of my finest workers." My brother introduced the both of us and I smiled at Emmett, not wanting to be rude or anything. I held out my hand for him to shake, knowing it was proper for him to due that to me. But he did something else that surprised me: He took my hand in his and bent down, kissing the top of my hand with his lips. The kiss felt like a wildfire went through my entire body and out in a instant, but was fast but it felt amazing as he pulled away, placing his hat back on his head to hide his dark blue eyes.

"Pleasure to meet you Miss DuBoise." He said to me in a deep tone that made me smile widely and nod my head at him.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. McCarthy."


	3. I'm Glad It Came From You

It's been two weeks since I started my job at my brother's branch, and ever since I started working I've enjoyed myself far more than I did in my own home! I would come to work early in the morning and then come back home when it was close to dinner, accompanied by my brother of course. It wasn't that my father didn't trust me walking home alone, he also didn't trust the workers there. According to my father they were part of the lower class and showed no respect to people of our higher authority. It bothered me, because the workers were so nice to me and always greeted me with a smile on their faces. I was brought up on my father's beliefs that people that worked on railroads and anything else of lower classes were nothing but trouble. But I guessed my thoughts changed, mostly because of Emmett.

I couldn't help but sneak glances at him as he worked with his friends at the branch and even on the railroad. He was very strong compared to the other boys, being able to lift heavy things with ease as if they were as light as a feather. He was just a interest being to look at, and I would have to look away every time he turned his head in my direction. I didn't think it was proper for a young woman to stare at a man in a rude manner, but I couldn't help but stare as he turned away and went back to work.

What was wrong with me? I was never like this for any other boy that I have met before. Well ten again the boys I have met before my father tried to set up with me, and they were nothing but money greedy and not even attractive. But Emmett was different, he showed respect towards me and me alone, not for what name I had or for what back round I came from.

I typed at my desk in my brother's office, getting the reports ready for my brother to take to his own boss back at Nashville. It was a hot summer day that day and I was a bit warm in that office alone, not even thinking of how the workers were handling it outside in the hot sun. I was too involved in my work to hear the door opening and shuffling of feet.

"Excuse Sir?" I heard next to me at the door and I looked up, seeing Emmett there. He was looking around, and then looked down at me at my desk with a shocked look on his face. He smiled and pointed to my brother's desk.

"Morning, Ma'am. Do you know where your brother is?" He asked me in a deep tone. I stopped my typing and moved a bit so I can face him. He was a bit sweaty, I could tell from being in a hot sun all day was giving him a tan as well. He wasn't as dark as the other boys, but he still had some tan on his skin.

"I don't know actually, he left without saying anything." I said in a shrug to him, seeing him nod his head and then look at the type writer I was at.

"Have you been in here for the past four hours typing on that thing?" he asked me, pointing to the type writer. I looked from him to the type writer and then back in a matter of a couple of second, wondering if he asked a serious question or not.

"Yes?" I replied back to him with a questioning in my tone of voice. He only smiled and leaned against the doorframe.

"And how is it that you're fine with that. I mean, don't you want to be outside?" He asked me with question in his voice. I thought about it really and shook my head.

"Compared to my house, this is as soon as it's gonna get and I'm fine with it." I explained to him, seeing him raise a eyebrow at me. I then thought of what he was going to say in retaliation or protest. He then shrugged and scratched his head. But something clicked in his head, I could tell from the look he suddenly gave me and he smiled.

"You were with your mom in the store the other day, weren't you?" He asked me in a wide grin, as if he solved a hard problem or puzzle. I smiled at him, feeling my cheeks blush. He remember me after all, which made me feel so excited on the inside. I nodded my head at him.

"I knew that was you, when your brother introduced us the other day, I remember you!" Emmett replied in a grin and laughed once more. I was amazed at the child-like wonder he harbored, and it suited him well.

"And you were with your three friends, making a havoc in the street. You actually made my mother real mad." I explained to him in a giggle, hearing him laugh in return.

"Well my friends are a bunch of pallys, they like to stir up trouble here and there. Hopefully your mother wasn't too mad." Emmett replied back to me.

"Oh well my mother's a bit of a abercrombie really, she doesn't get along with a bunch of people that don't go to church or who doesn't have more money than her." I explained to him in a smile, seeing his smile never leave his face.

"Well look at you with your talk, as I recall you come from the DuBoise family." He said in a challenging tone and grin to match it, "I never took you as a Jane."

"Well you don't know me and my brother, we are a bit on the otherside of the line when it comes to us and our parents." I said to him in a grin. He then grabbed a chair close to the both of us and pulled it to be in front of me, sitting down in it in a fast pace and was now facing me with his full attention.

"You are odd." I was taken back by his simple and straight forward remark. How was I odd? Did I say something wrong? Or was it what I was wearing. I raised my eyebrow at him to show my confusion.

"How am I odd?" I asked him in a surprised tone in my voice. He smirked at me, and somehow I was really liking that smirk on his face.

"I've lived in this town all my life, and I've encountered so many girls that are so uptight and all about money and high society. But then there's you." He said in a smile to me, still making me confused, "You talk about your own mother and father behind their backs, and you don't seem to be happy."

"But what if I am happy?" I asked him in retaliation, but he shook his head.

"No I know you're not happy. If you were happy you wouldn't be so open to me like you are now. Happy girls of high society aren't meant to spill their guts about their parents and wanting to be free and all." Emmett explained to me, having me be taken back a bit. I stayed silent, thinking about what he just said and how he was right. I wasn't happy with my life and how I was living. Walking behind my mother a the typical high society girl in the 1930's destined to live with a man with money and be the woman of the house.

"Hey." I heard aloud as I was thinking about what he said before. I looked up and saw him look at me with his dark blue eyes, but they looked concerned and soft, showing no more playfulness.

"I didn't mean to upset you." he said in a soft tone, looking like he was stabbed in the chest. I smiled and shook my head, getting up from my chair and walking out of the office. I felt like I needed to walk around to wrap my head around some thing s he said.

"No, you were right." I said to him as I walked in front of him out of the office and out into the bright sun. He was trailing right behind me closely but I didn't notice too much.

"I shouldn't of said it though." He countered back at me and I stopped walking. I was now standing in the middle of the field outside the small office and I could see all of the workers all going about their own business with the rails and nails. I turned around to face him and shrugged.

"Someone had to say it sometime, and I'm glad it came from you." I said to him, a silly thing to say to someone whom you just met and only know so little about. But Emmett had me confronted with all the things I needed to confront: my unhappiness about my life and how I wanted to break free from my. I longed to not be a lady of high society, but to be a normal woman who could speak for herself. It was all coming out of nowhere in a matter of seconds, all from meeting a railroad worker named Emmett.

"How about you come and meet my family." I heard Emmett said aloud as I snapped out of my own thoughts once more. He wanted me to meet his family? Why would he wants that, we just met for goodness sake! I couldn't find my own words.

"You want me to meet your family? But we only just met formally." I countered back at him. Emmett nodded his head in agreement and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Then how about we get to know each other, formally I mean. We can talk about anything and everything you wanna talk about." he suggested, having me think about it. I did want to get to know him some more and to to understand him. But one thing stood in my way.

"My father, he won't allow me to talk to you or anyone else without his consent." I said in a sad tone, seeing him look grave about the situation as well.

"Well, maybe he doesn't need to know." He suggest once more, having me give him a look of shock. He wanted me to sneak behind my father's back? It was so unlike me all that I was taught as a young child. He would murder me, skin me alive, or even worse disown me. But the thought of going behind his back, doing something risky was enticing to me.

"Oh come on, don't you wanna have a little risk in your life?" Emmett asked me a in challenging tone. I felt like a rebel then, a normal person. I could have a little bit of life to live and it would be with Emmett as well. I didn't want to be a part of the life my father wanted me to have, I wanted my own life. I then decided what I wanted to do and I looked at Emmett square in the eyes.

"Fine, let's do it."


End file.
